The present invention is directed to electronic display devices, and is more particularly directed to remotely updateable electronic label devices and systems for displaying selected data.
Conventional printing labels and methodology for affixing them to particular items are well known in the art. The information permanently applied on the printing labels reflects information known about the particular items at the time the labels were created. It is generally difficult to alter the indicia on the printing labels once created for the particular items. In general, three conventional techniques have been developed to address this problem. According to a first technique, a completely new label is created to replace the previously printed label. The new label is typically reaffixed to the particular item, either at a new location or over the existing label. According to a second technique, a new but smaller label can be employed to patch over a portion of the originally printed label in order to alter particular indicia related to the item. In some applications, properly placing and aligning the new, smaller label, so that it can subsequently be read by a machine or person, is a difficult, labor intensive, and error prone process. In the situation where all or a portion of a label is changed with the new label, great care is taken to ensure that an unacceptable buildup of labeling material does not occur, and that the label alignment is sufficient to illustrate the altered item indicia, as well as to ensure that it does not affect human or machine readable processes.
A third common technique involves the situation where the information or image is directly imprinted or manually written or drawn onto an item. In this circumstance, the old image is generally removed or erased, and then a new image is reprinted or drawn on the item. Examples of such information deleting include price changes related to the item, changes in menu prices, the return dates on library books, return dates for video rentals, and the like. Great care is typically employed to ensure that the integrity of the information visible on the new label or the designated area is not adversely impacted through some interaction or interference with the information previously imprinted or present on the label or disposed in the designated area. Otherwise, the integrity of the new item information may be affected. Moreover, removing or erasing the original information imprinted, written, or drawn on the label or designated area of the item may result in damage to the item.
Conventional items to be labeled generally reserve a designated location for displaying relevant item information. Generally, an individual applies the labels to the item at this designated location, or writes, draws or stamps information in the designated area. Despite the presence of the designated label location, it is typical to find variability between items in terms of the label location, orientation and ability to convey the proper information to a consumer or to a piece of equipment intended to read automatically the information off the item.
There accordingly exists a need in the art for a stand-alone, remotely updateable and/or alterable electronic label which can be formed in various sizes and shapes for displaying information related to an item in human or machine readable form. There further exists a need in the art to update or alter the information related to the item in a manner which allows the label to be reused a significant number of times.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a smart, resilient, flexible electronic imaging surface, display, label, tag or strip that is self contained, does not require an onboard power source, (i.e. xe2x80x9cbattery-freexe2x80x9d), and employs radio wave transmissions to remotely update and permanently or temporarily alter the information displayed in human and/or machine readable form. The information displayed by the label can be a subset of the information locally stored on the label, information received partly or solely from an external source, or a combination thereof. Moreover, the label can be a xe2x80x98dumbxe2x80x99 label by displaying solely the information received from the external source, or can be a xe2x80x98smartxe2x80x99 label capable of determining in whole or in part the information to be displayed.
It is a further object to employ the electronic label of the present invention in a number of different applications to create xe2x80x98display, label, tag, or strip systemsxe2x80x99 that include combinations and variations of microprocessors, computer(s), software, electromagnetic transmitters and receivers, and a variety of antennas, etc., that can communicate with and update the remotely updateable/alterable electronic label, tag or strip in any manner.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electronic label for updating information on an imaging surface or a display portion of the label, tag or strip. The display portion of the electronic label comprises a pixel or segment addressable imaging material disposed to create and display text, graphics, barcodes and other information in a human or machine readable form. The label can be formed as a wristband, pendant, badge, pin, etc., and worn by a person in a place of entertainment or amusement, or in any other environment or venue where it is beneficial to periodically update the information displayed on the label to reflect both the status of services or events of interest.
The present invention provides for smart and dumb implementations of a stand-alone, remotely updateable, remotely alterable, resilient and flexible electronic display, label, tag or strip device of various sizes and shapes. The size and thickness of the electronic device may be comparable to the size and thickness of conventional printing labels, in order to attach the electronic device as a label to an object and display information related to an object without adding significant bulk or weight to an object. The number of layers forming the device can vary depending upon the particular components employed in the device, and upon the requirements or exigencies of the intended application. The display device of the present invention provides a flexible electronic display that is self contained, does not require an onboard power source, and employs radio waves transmissions to remotely update and permanently alter information displayed in human and/or machine readable form by addressing specific pixels or segments within a display portion. The electronic display device of the present invention can be provided in various embodiments, each of which can be employed as a system for displaying information related to a particular item. Each electronic display system can include combinations and variations of particular electronic components, including microprocessors, computer software, transmitters, receivers, and a variety of antennas, etc., that can communicate with and remotely update the electronic display at various distances. According to one practice, the display device can be updated by providing for an electronic hard wire connection to a information altering device, or by employing electromagnetic waves to alter the display from various distances.
The present invention provides for smart and dumb implementations of a stand-alone, remotely updateable, remotely alterable, flexible electronic label. The electronic label provides for displaying information in connection with a mammal, non-mammal, an item or location. The label includes a display assembly having a bi-stable, non-volatile imaging material, such as electronic ink, disposed on a support, one or more antennas for sending or receiving signals corresponding to one of instructions, programs, data or selected indicia to be displayed by said display assembly, a storage element in circuit with the antenna for storing the instructions, programs, data and indicia, and one or more processors for intelligently determining the indicia to be displayed by the display assembly, for controlling and coordinating operation of the label, and for generating output signals for instructing the display assembly to display the indicia.
The present invention also provides for a stacked, layered electronic label suitable for displaying information. The label includes one or more display layers having a pixel addressable, bi-stable, and non-volatile electronic ink disposed on a support, one or more activation grid layers for activating said electronic ink or other display layers, one or more antenna layers for sending or receiving signals corresponding to programs, instructions, data or indicia to be displayed by the display assembly, and a processor layer including one or more processors and a storage element. The storage element stores indicia, data, programs or instructions. The processor, which is in circuit with the display layer, the activation layer, and the antenna layer, determines intelligently the indicia to be displayed by the display layer. The processor also controls and coordinates operation of the label, and generates output signals for instructing the display layer to display the indicia by addressing and controlling the state of specific pixels in the display layer. The display layer, said antenna layer, said activation grid layer, and said processor layer are all stacked together to form the stacked electronic label.